Patent GB-1281205-A (GB)
Title: Integrated circuits
Inventor: GUNTHER RONALD VINCENT
IPC: H04W88/18
Filed: 1969-08-27
Abstract: 1281205 Semi-conductor devices WESTERN ELECTRIC CO Inc 27 Aug 1969 [28 Aug 1968] 42609/69 Heading H1K [Also in Division G4] A semi-conductor integrated circuit comprises a plurality of stages each including logic and control elements, each of said control elements having an initial first operative state and being capable of a permanent second operative state, first means for setting up selected states of logic elements in accordance with a preselected code, and second means responsive to a control signal for changing certain of the control elements from their first to their permanent second operative states in accordance with a preselected code. The Fig. 1 circuit, which has 3 stages, is set to recognize a particular sequence of 3 bits on inputs " 1 " and " 0 " by resetting the transistorized flip-flops FF1A, FF1B ... FF3A, FF3B by pulses on inputs 1RC, 1BRC, enabling transistors T1A, T1B in the first stage by a pulse on input 10, then applying the first bit to input " 1 " or " 0 " according to its value, the pulse back-biasing a diode D1A or D1B respectively causing it to fuse to a permanent short-circuit due to current flow via T1A or T1B, and a transistor T1C enabled by the reset state of FF1B, to an input CC held at a low level. The current also sets FF1A, enabling a gate G1 to set FF1B on arrival of a pulse on an input TGC. The set state of FF1B enables transistors T2A, T2B in the second stage so that the second bit fuses diode D2A or D2B and sets FF2A, and so on. In use for recognition, the flip-flops are reset, 1C enables T1A, T1B, and the sequence of bits is applied to inputs " 1 ", " 0 ". If the first bit value corresponds to the fused diode a current is passed to set FF1A so a pulse on TGC sets FF1B via gate G1 to enable T2A, T2B to respond to the second bit, and so on. If a bit has the wrong value, FF1A (or FF2A or FF3A) is not set, preventing further setting in the sequence of flip-flops. The set state of FF3B is detected at U if the input sequence was that the circuit was set to recognize. A slightly modified circuit with an extra two transistors per stage enables the pattern represented by fused diodes to be set into the flip-flops (i.e. one flip-flop set per stage) and then shifted along the chain of flip-flops thus giving a sequence generator. This modification can also be used as a simple shift register by fusing only one diode, viz. one of those in the first stage. Diodes can also be open-circuited. Details of integrated circuit technology.-The circuit is formed in a single chip of p-type silicon having an n-type epitaxial surface layer. The chip is divided into generally rectangular electrically isolated areas containing respective individual elements by highly-doped regions formed by diffusion and photoresist techniques before the individual elements are formed and before lead connections are made. A diode is formed by a p-type diffusion of square shape over which a silicon dioxide layer is grown. A square region is opened in the oxide and consecutive layers of titanium and gold respectively deposited over it. Short-circuiting is achieved by alloying titanium-gold into the n-type epitaxial substrate. Diodes can be open-circuited by vaporization of lead connections.